Ironing machine



T. W. BEHAN. IRONING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 192i.

1,433,980,, Patented Oct. 31, 1922.-

, 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

/ v Ila INVENTOR 7/1 BY @wypa/ A TTORNE T. W. BEHAN.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I6, I921.

1,433,980, Patented Oct; 31, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 s INVENTOR wwanf A TTORNE Y supported at three points only.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

STATES THOMAS W. JBEHAN, 0F BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

IRON'ING MACHINE.

Application filed November 16, 1921. Serial No. 515,458.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. BEHAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Binghamton, county of Broome, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing Machines, of which the following is a descrlption.

My invention relates to ironing machines, and particularly to the frames of such machines.

The primary object of my invention is to provide such a framework that the component parts of the ironing machine will remain 1n their proper relative positions irrespective of any irregularities which there may be in the floor upon which the machine rests.

Ironing machines of the type now in the market include, in general, two parallel ironing elements, usually in the form of a revoluble roll, and a shoe. Provision is usually made for moving one of these elements toward and from the other to apply and release the ironing pressure. It has been found in practice that if the four legs which customarily support the ironing machine do not rest upon a perfectly level floor there results a relative angular movement between the two side frames of the machine which distorts the frame as a whole and the supporting and operating means for the ironing elements. As a result the ironing elements are thrown out of parallelism, the feeding of the material becomes irregular and efiiciency of the machine is interfered with.

In accordance with my invention means are provided whereby the ironing elements and all of their supporting and operating means are maintained in their proper relative positions irrespective of whether thelegs rest upon a level floor or not.

I accomplish this by converting a four leg support into a three point support in such a way that although the four legs rest upon the floor in the usual way, the entire operative portion of the machine is 1 thus eliminate the relative angular movement which results in the distortion above referred to, One of the specific ways in which I I do this is illiistrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical view partly in section of an ironing machine showing a side frame of normal construction,

Fig. 2 is a similar View upon an enlarged scale of the lower portion of a side frame embodying means for converting the normal twot leg support into a single point suppor Fi 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line TIL-III of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view indicating that one side frame is of normal construction and that the other is of the con struction shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

My improvement may be applied to ironing machines of almost any type. But for the purposes of illustration I have shown it in the accompanying drawing-as applied to the type of ironing machine described in my copending application Serial No. 455,708, filed March 26, 1921. M

Fi re 1 of the present application shows the rlght hand frame 11 of such a machine. The left hand frame which is shown partially in Figs. 2 and 3 differs somewhat from the corresponding frame of the machine of my copending application, as I will point out later. But as is the case with my former machine, the two side frames of my present machine are secured together by tie rods 12, 13, 14, and support the treadle shaft 15, the revoluble roll 16 and the ironing shoe 17 together with the electric motor or other power source for drivin the roll, and the treadle 18 and connects parts for moving this shoe into and out of contact with the r0 1. 1

It isapparent from an inspection of the drawing that if both of the side frames of the machine are of the character shown in Fig. 1 of the drawin any unevenness of the floor upon which they rest will cause a tiltin or relative angular movement'between tie two side frames with the undesired results referred to above.

To obviate this I have devised the form of side frame shown in Figs. 2 and 3, for use at one side of the machine as herein shown the left hand side, although of course it may be used at either side. This side frame is whatmight be called a split frame in that it includestwo parts, the base 19 which is provided. with the usual legs 20 similar to the legs 11 .of side frame 11, and the frame proper 21. This frame proper is substantially identical with the upper portion of the frame 11 and to it are secured the left hand ends of the tie rods 12, 13, 14, and the treadle shaft 15, as well as the left hand bearings and supports for the ironing elements, etc. The extreme upper portion of the frame proper 21 is not illustrated because of its almost exact s1mi larity to the corresponding portion of frame 11.

Thetwo portions 19 and 21 of the side 'frame of Figs. 2 and 3 are connected together, not rigidly, but by-a single pivotal point of connection such as is provided, for example, by the bolt 22. As a result, if the machine is placed upon an irregular floor which tends to produce a relative angular movement between the side frames, there will result no distortion of the tie bolts or of the ironing elements or their supporting and actuating means, but, on the other hand, the portion 21 of the left hand frame will automatically swing about the pivot 22 and thus maintain the various parts of the ironing machine in proper alinement. In other words, the construction described converts the two leg support of legs 20, 20 into a single point support at 22, for the left hand side of the machine, and converts the entire four leg support of the machine into a three point support comprising the two legs 11, 11*, and the pivot 22.

I have found that the three point support described is satisfactory for all normal requirements. However, I have provided the extension 23 of the base with a bolt 24 which passes through a slot 25 in the frame proper 21. A wing nut 26 is mounted on the end of this bolt, as shown in Fig. 3. By tightening this wing nut the base 19 and frame proper 21 may be secured rigidly together in any angular relation, within the limits of the slot 25. Accordingly, after the machine has been placed in the desired position and the frame proper 21 has automatically turned about the pivot 22 .to" relieve any strain upon the frame or its supported parts which might otherwise result from irregularities in the floor, the thumb nut 26 may be tightened and the frame proper 21 thus rigidly secured in proper posltion.

The many advantages of my invention will be apparent from the foregoing.

Briefly it may be said that by the use of my invention I eliminate all distortion, strain and inefficiency normally resulting from the placing of an ironing machine upon an irregular floor, and I do so without interfering with the rigidity of the machine.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

In certain of the appended claims I have referred to the side member 11 and to the base 19 as being provided with two legs adapted to rest upon the floor. By this term two legs I do not desire to limit myself to two distinct points of support but intend to cover any form of support whether in the form of two distinct points or a line, which will support the members referred to with the necessary stability.

What I claim is:

1. In an ironing machine provided with ironing elements and supporting and operating means therefor, a frame including two side members and upon which said ironing elements and their supporting and operat ing means are mounted, a base, and means for pivotally supporting one of said side members upon said base.

2. In an ironing machine provided with ironing elements and supporting and operating means therefor, a frame including twoside members and upon which said ironing elements and their supporting and operating means are mounted, a base, means for pivotally supporting one of said side members upon said base, and means, operable at will, for rigidly connecting said side members and base.

3. In an ironing machine provided with ironing elements and supporting and operating means therefor, a support upon which said ironing elements and their supporting and operating means are mounted, said support including two side frames each including two legs adapted to rest upon the floor, one of said side frames being formed in two pivotally connected parts whereby the ironing elements and their supporting and operating means are provided with a threepoint support.

4. In an ironing machine provided with ironing elements and supporting and operating means therefor, a support upon which said ironing elements and their supporting and operating means are mounted, said support including two side frames each including two legs adapted to rest upon the floor, one of said side frames being formed in two pivotally connected parts whereby the ironing elements and their supporting and operating means are provided with a three-point support, and means, operable at will, for making rigid said pivotal connection whereby said three-point support is converted into a four-point support.

5. In an ironing machine provided with ironing elements and supporting and operating means therefor, a frame including two side members and upon which said ironing elements and their supporting and operating means are mounted, one of said members being provided with two legs adapted to rest on the floor, a base provided with two legs bers being provided with two legs adapted also adapted to rest on the floor, and means to rest on the floor, a base provided with for pivotally supporting the other of said two legs also adapted to rest on the floor, side members upon said base. means for pivotally supporting the other of 5 6. In an ironing machine provided with said side members upon said base, and 15 ironingelements and supporting and opermeans, operable at will, for rigidly oonnectating means therefor, a frame including two ing said last named side member and said side members and upon which said ironing base. elements and their sup orting and operat- 10 ing means are mounte one of said mem- THOMAS W. BEHAN. 

